Sanctuary: Safe Haven

Canna stood at the edge of the dimly lit corridor, the air thick with the scent of damp stone and the echo of distant, muffled cries. The prisoners who had followed him this far, now freed from their chains, looked at him with a mixture of hope and apprehension.

It was clear that the lower parts of the dungeon held even more secrets—secrets that could very well hold the key to understanding the full extent of the Kingdom of Arenthia's corruption.

One of the older dwarves, who had been a kind of spokesperson for the group, stepped forward. "There's more below, lad. Good people, like us—scholars, craftsmen, and innocent folks caught in the nobles' web. They're all down there, waiting for a chance to escape. But be warned, the deeper you go, the darker it gets.

The worst criminals are kept elsewhere, but that doesn't mean what's down there is any less dangerous."

Canna took a deep breath, his eyes narrowing as he weighed his options. The kingdom's corruption ran deeper than he'd imagined, and leaving anyone behind wasn't an option he was willing to consider. He made a decision swiftly, opening up a red portal behind him, its swirling energy casting an eerie red glow over the dungeon walls.

The sight of the portal made everyone present shudder, a sense of awe and fear filling the room. They had never seen anything like it, and the sheer power radiating from the portal made them instinctively step back. Then, from the portal emerged a figure of ethereal beauty—Elandra, her presence instantly captivating the dwarves and other men in the room.

They couldn't tear their eyes away from her, mesmerized by the way she moved with a grace that seemed otherworldly.

Canna's voice broke through their stupor. "Elandra, these people here will be helping me in the future. I need your assistance in relocating them. Place them somewhere safe in the sanctuary, but not too close to the central areas. Time is of the essence."

Elandra nodded, her voice soft yet commanding, "Understood, Master. I'll place them near the barbarians so they can be looked after." Her words sent a wave of relief through the prisoners, who now saw their new path before them. Canna turned to the group, his gaze firm but reassuring. "Go through the portal. I'll head to the lower levels and free the others.

Mortem, take Kael with you and secure the noble responsible for Mira's previous state. I want him in the sanctuary's holding cell. I'll summon you both again when I need you."

As the prisoners hesitantly began to enter the portal, their fear of the unknown clashed with the desperate desire for freedom. Most of them, despite their doubts, steeled themselves with the resolve that even if they were stepping into another uncertain situation, it was still better than the hellish dungeon they had been trapped in.

Once everyone had passed through, Elandra gave Canna a final nod before disappearing into the portal herself, the swirling red energy sealing itself behind her. Canna was now alone in the dim corridor, the only sound being the distant drip of water echoing through the stone halls. He turned towards the staircase leading further down, knowing that the true test was yet to come.

The descent into the lower levels was eerie. The further down Canna went, the thicker the darkness became, and the air grew colder. Each step seemed to echo longer than the last, as if the shadows themselves were deepening the silence. The walls were lined with rusted iron chains and the remnants of failed escape attempts, serving as grim reminders of the despair that had once permeated this place.

On the first level, Canna found more prisoners, their eyes hollow and their bodies weak from neglect. At first, they recoiled at the sight of him, their fear of new torment evident in their expressions. But as Canna gently explained his intentions, the hope in their eyes began to flicker once more. One by one, they followed him, still hesitant but driven by a sliver of hope.

"Freedom," one of them whispered, as they made their way back up. "I never thought I'd see the light again, but even if this is another trick, I'll face whatever comes next."

Canna led them to the upper levels, sending them through the portal as he had the others. Then, without wasting time, he returned to the staircase and descended even further.

Each level brought its own set of challenges. The prisoners on the second level were more skeptical, hardened by years of confinement, but they too were convinced by Canna's sincerity. The third level held a mix of scholars and craftsmen who had been unjustly imprisoned, their knowledge and skills too valuable to waste but not worth compensating.

They followed Canna with a mix of relief and disbelief, each step taking them closer to freedom.

On the fourth level, Canna encountered a group of gnomes who had been enslaved for their expertise in botany and alchemy. They had been tending the royal gardens, growing rare herbs and plants for the nobles' selfish whims, only to be discarded and imprisoned once their work was done. Their tiny, wizened faces were etched with bitterness, but they too couldn't resist the chance Canna offered them.

As Canna reached the sixth level, the air grew heavier, laden with an oppressive feeling of dread. The prisoners here were the most broken, their spirits almost crushed entirely. It took more than just words to convince them—Canna had to show them the portal itself, a physical manifestation of the freedom he was offering.

Only then did they begin to stir from their despondency, stepping through the portal with trembling legs and tear-filled eyes.

Finally, Canna reached the seventh and final level. The atmosphere here was different, almost suffocating. The darkness was nearly complete, and the cold was so intense that it felt like it was seeping into his very bones. He made his way through the narrow, winding passages, feeling the weight of the dungeon pressing down on him from all sides.

After freeing the last group of prisoners, Canna's instincts screamed at him, urging him to turn back. But something else—a nagging curiosity—drove him onward. The passage he was on led to a massive gate, its surface covered in ancient, intricate carvings. The metal of the gate was dark and weathered, but the name engraved at the top stood out clearly: "The Legendary Trio."

Canna's heart began to race as he stared at the gate. There was something behind it, something powerful and ancient that was calling to him. His instincts told him that whatever lay beyond this gate was important, something that could either be an incredible boon or an unimaginable danger.

The air around him crackled with energy as he stood before the gate, trying to decide his next move. The urge to turn back was strong, but so was the pull of whatever lay beyond. He could feel it, almost like a heartbeat resonating through the metal—a force that was beckoning him, challenging him to take the next step.

But Canna was no fool. He knew that stepping through this gate could lead to a confrontation with something far beyond what he had faced before. Whatever was behind this door was something ancient, something that had been imprisoned for a reason.

Taking a deep breath, Canna prepared himself. This was no ordinary challenge—it was something that could change the course of his journey, something that could either help him in his quest or become a deadly adversary.

As he reached out to touch the gate, the air seemed to grow even thicker, as if the very dungeon was holding its breath. He hesitated for just a moment, his hand hovering inches away from the cold metal. Then, all of a sudden, from the shadows, behind Canna, three figures came out.

"Intruder" the fact that Canna didn't sense them was already troubling. Looks like there was no escaping a fight.